Feed table for wrapping and pinchtype bending rolls



Dec. 13, 1938.

w. E. KANE FEED TABLE FOR WRAPPING AND.PINCHTYPE BENDING ROLLS Filed Dec. 28, 19 6 Iminrrun I TTDRI IEY Patented Dec. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES FEED TABLE FOR WRAPPING AND PINCH- TYPE BENDING ROLLS William E. Kane, Syracuse, N. Y., assignor to Kane & Roach, Inc., Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 28, 1936, Serial No. 117,847

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in metal bending machines in which a plurality of forming rollers are adapted to have relative movement into and out of cooperative relation with each other and is a continuation in part of my co-pending application Serial No. 12,639, filed March 23, 1935, Patent Number 2,088,746 granted August 3, 1937.

In other words, this application relates to a metal bending machine having wrapping or pinch type bending rollers adapted to bend straight, relatively stiff, heavy metal articles such as strips of sheet iron, angle irons, T-bars, channel bars, or the like, into circular form. In bending machines of this class insofar as applicant is aware, the work, as it comes from between the rollers, has a flat or substantially straight portion adjacent each end thereof. This results in the necessity of a separate operation being performed to either out these flat or straight portions from the remainder or circular portion of the pieces or to bend said .end portions to conform them in contour to said circular portion.

The main object of this invention is to provide a metal bending machine having cooperating bending elements with a work feed means particularly adapted to function in conjunction with said elements for forming circular members from straight pieces of metal bars or the like of predetermined length whereby said formed members will have a substantially uniform degree of curvature throughout the length thereof and thereby entirely eliminate or reduce to a minimum the flat or straight portions which have heretofore remained at the end of such pieces after the forming operation and the expense incident to the removal or correction thereof.

Another object is to provide a metal bending machine of the above mentioned class with a work feed means or table which is simple and rugged in construction and that may be quickly and easily adjusted relative to the metal bending elements or forming rollers whereby straight pieces of work of different grades, gauges or weights may be accurately and rapidly bent into a predetermined circular or curved contour.

Other objects and advantages pertaining to the construction and operation of the mechanism will more fully appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a detail vertical sectional View through my novel feed table, the forming rollers associated therewith and a portion of the machine adjacent thereto taken substantially in the plane of the line l-l Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the feed table taken substantially on line 22 Figure 1 and illustrating a portion of the support for the table or chute in elevation.

Figure 3 is a detail vertical section View taken on line 3-3 Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on line 4-4 Figure 1.

Figures 5 and 6 are diagrammatic views illustrating the Work piece at the beginning and at the end respectively of the bending operation.

The mechanism disclosed in the drawing is constructed and operated in the same manner set forth in my hereinbefore mentioned co-pending application and as shown comprises three bending or forming rollers i, 2 and 3 arranged in triangular formation and are secured to respective horizontal disposed parallel shafts 4, 5 and 6 to be rotated thereby.

The rollers 2 and 3 positioned at the base of the triangle are each smaller in diameter in this instance than the other roller I positioned above them at the apex of the triangle. The shafts 5 and ,6 for the lower of auxiliary rollers 2 and 3 are journaled in parallel spaced relation to each other adjacent their ends in a pair of bearing bracket 3 one of which is shown in Figure 1. These bearing brackets 8 are mounted on a bed plate 9, one adjacent respective ends of the rollers 2 and 3. The shafts 5 and 6 are driven in unison from a horizontally disposed drive shaft ill journaled in the brackets 3 beneath the shafts 5 and 6 by any suitable means as by gears not shown, secured to the forward ends of the shafts 5, 6 and I 9. The drive shaft it may be operated by any suitable means as will be readily understood and inasmuch as the particular drive means for this shaft and also of shafts 5 and 5 is not directly associated with the subject matter of this invention it is believed that the illustration or further description thereof is not necessary.

The bending roller l positioned at the apex of the triangle formation and which is commonly known as a master roller is keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft 4 which is journaled adjacent the rear end of the roller in the free end of a rock arm !2 which extends laterally from the shaft toward the rear side of the machine. The arm I2 may be pivotally connected at its outer or rear end by any suitable means to the bed plate 9 or any other portion of the machine frame whereby the roller I may be swung toward or from the rollers 2 and 3 to bring the same into and out of cooperative relation with said lateral rollers. The master roller 1 may be rotated in unison with rollers 2 and 3 in any suitable manner as by a suitable train of gears, not shown, operatively connected with the shafts s and i9, certain of the gears of said train being adapted to move into and out of meshing engage ment with each other during the swinging movement of arm IZ-and roller A pressure head [4 which may be pivotally connected in any suitable manner to the bed plate 9 extends over the shaft 4 and is provided with a pair of pendant bearing portions l one of which is shown in Figure 1 in operative engagernent with the arm 12 and the other one is in operative engagement with the shaft 4 at the opposite side of roller l for releasably maintaining the roller in pressure engagement with the work during the bending operation. This pressure head is may be actuated by a suitable mechanism, not shown, located beneath the bed plate 9, for swinging the head into and out of holding relation with the shaft 4. may be operatively connected with the pressure head by a lever or bar l8 pivotally connected as at if with the outer end portion of said pressure head and which may be adjustably connected in any suitable manner with the operating mechanism therefor for obtaining the exact positioning of the head required for maintaining the roller i in cooperative relation with the rollers 2 and 3 during the bending operation.

It will now be understood that the vertical swinging movement of the head l4 produced through the medium of the bar it is sufficient to move the bearing members a considerable distance above the shaft 1 so that when the pressure head It is in the raised position the arm i2 together with the master roller I carried thereby is free to move upwardly to bring said roller out of cooperative relation with the lower rollers 2 and 3 for releasing the work contained therebetween. The arm 12 and roller i may be raised when the pressure head is in the elevated" osition by any suitable means as by one or more springs, not shown, operatively engaging the arm.

The feed table as l8 comprising the subject matter of this invention for guiding the work stock to the rollers I, 2 and 3 includes a supporting frame 29 which is slidably mounted for vertical movement in a U-shaped plate secured by screws or other means to each of the bearing brackets 8. The frame E9 is maintained in operative relation with the plate 20 by gibs 2i secured to the outer face of the side members of said plate as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The frame it is maintained in the adjusted vertical position by a screw 23, screw threaded in the lower portion of the frame with the end thereof engaging the adjacent portion of the bed plate 9. The screw 23 may be locked in the adjusted position by a lock nut 24.

To the upper face of the frame [9 is slidably mounted a horizontally disposed base plate25 which is clamped to the frame by the screws 26 each of which pass through a respective elongated slot 27 provided in the base plate 25 and is screw threaded in the frame [9 as shown in Figure 3. The base plate 25 may be adjusted relative to the frame if when the screws are loosened by a pair of screws 26 mounted as shown in Figures 2 and 3 in the frame I9 and which have the inner ends thereof abutting against the base plate 25. The inner end of the base plate 25 is provided with an upwardly extending lug 25' in which is mounted a pivotal shaft 28 which extends outwardly at both ends beyond the lug 25 and has rotatably mounted thereon a delivery chute 23. The delivery chute 29 is a channel member having the inner end thereof provided with a pair of spaced pendant lugs 29 adapted to supportably receive the shaft 28 therein as shown in Figure 4.

The rear or outer end portion of the chute 29 is provided with a pair of spaced pendant lugs This mechanism 1 29" as shown in Figure 2, to which is rotatably connected a pivotal block 30 having a circular opening in which is rotatably mounted the reduced end of a screw St. The screw 3! extends downwardly from the block and has the lower end-portion thereof screw threaded in a pivotal block 32 which is rotatably connected at its ends to a pair of upwardly extending lugs 33 provided on the base plate 25. The lower end of the screw 3| isprovided with a hand wheel 34 by which the screw may be manually manipulated. The chute 29 is also provided with a pair of stock guide plates 36. These plates are as shown in Figure 2, angle members which are adjustably secured to the bottom of the chute 29 by bolts 3'1 which pass through holes 33 provided in the chute. These holes 38. are arranged in. transverse spaced relation with each other to permit the guide plates to be adjusted toward and from each other for different widths of stock.

When setting the table 48 for feeding work stock of apredetermined size to the bending rollers i, 2 and 3 the guide plates 36 are adjusted to extend normally to the axis of movement to the rollers and are spaced apart a distance substantially equal to the width of the work stock so as to permit a relatively close sliding fit of the stock between said plates. The chute 29 is adjusted vertically and horizontally by the manipulation of the screws 23 and 28 when the gibs 2[ and screws 26 are loosened and the angular inclination of the chute is adjusted by the manipulation of the screw 3i so as to bring the chute into such a position that the work stock When resting flatly thereupon and with the lower or inner end of the work engaging the adjacent roller 3 will also contact with the master roller I.

To explain the operation of the feed table !8 more explicitly let it be assumed that the piece of work stockto be bent is of A; gauge, then the master roller I is moved to the working position and adjusted relative to the rollers 2 and 3 as throughthe medium of the bar Iii and the operating mechanism therefor so that the peripheral surfaces of said roller on the direct line connecting the axis thereof with the axes of the rollers 2 and 3 will be spaced from the peripheral surfaces of the latter rollers a distance equal.

to the thickness of the work that is in this case 4; inch. The forward end of the work piece is next placed on top of the adjacent lower roller 3 and then the work piece is swungupwardly until the same contacts with the master roller I after which the work piece is adjusted until the point of contact of the master roller therewith is substantially inch from the end of the work piece. This distance, however, varies with different gaugesof work stock. For instance when bending stock of lighter. gauges than A; this distance between the inner end of the stock and the point of contact of the master roller 1 therewith will be decreased and when bending stock of heavier gauges this distance will be increased. .The feedtable I8 is next adjusted to bring the chute 29 into contact with the work the full length of said chute, by the manipulation of the gibs 2| and screws 26, 26 and 3! as will be readily understood.

It will thus be seen by referring to Figures 3 and 5 that the work stock as A when properly positioned has three points of contact before entering' between the bending rollers l and 3; one, at the inner end of the stock where it engages the roller 3; two, in spaced relation to said end where it engages the inner end of the chute 29, and three, at an intermediate position where it contacts with the periphery of the roller 5. Furthermore, it will be observed that as soon as the bending rollers begin to draw the work stock inwardly therebetween the bending operation of the stock will commence due to the co-action between rollers 3 and the chute 29 owing to the chute being arranged above the plane extending intermediate the rollers l and 3 normal to the direct line connecting the axes of rotation of said rollers and also at an inclination to said plane.

It will now be understood by referring to Figure 5 that as the rollers I, 2 and 3 draw the work A inwardly the work will be engaged at least at five points of contact to effect the bending thereo one, at a, the point of tangency between rollers i and 2; another at b, the point of tangency between rollers i and 3; another at c, a position on the periphery of the roller I intermediate the points a and 1); another at d, the inner edge of the chute 29; another at e, a position on the periphery of roller l intermediate points a and b. The bending action of the rollers upon the stock will continue until the stock has passed beyond the contact point 1) between the rollers I and 3 so that a uniform curvature of stock is produced throughout substantially the entire length thereof and thereby the flat spots which often occur ad- .jacent the ends of the stock and the separate operation necessary to either bend these flat portions to conform with the remainder of the work or to cut the same therefrom, is eliminated. A possible exception to this may occur when bending heavy, resilient stock in which case relatively short, fiat spots may occur. In order to prevent excessive wear of the chute 29 the inner end thereof is preferably provided with a hardened wear plate 40 composed of tempered steel or the like.

During the initial adjusting of the machine for operation upon a specific class of work, it is to be understood that the lower end of the chute 29 is spaced from the adjacent portion of the periphery of the master roller l a distance at least greater than the thickness of the work stock. The reason for this is that if the forward end of the stock is brought into overlapping relation with the rear end thereof before the stock passes beyond the chute, owing to the stock being elongated slightly or to the circle produced being decreased in diameter from that specified as the stock passes between the rollers I, 2 and 3 due to the metal being of an exceptionally soft nature or from any other cause, the stock will not become jammed between the chute and the master roller i.

If desired the table E8 may as shown in Figures 1 and 2 be provided with two sets of indicia 43 and 4 3, one set as 43 for determining the degree of horizontal movement of the bed plate 25 relative to the frame I9 and the other set M for determining the degree of vertical movement of the frame i9 and therefore of the chute 29 whereby the proper adjustment of the table may be readily obtained for each gauge of work by adjusting the table in accordance with a chart compiled for this purpose. Each of these indicia may as shown comprise a pointer 45 secured to the movable element as the base plate 25 and frame 19 adapted to cooperate with a scale 45 secured to a relatively fixed element as the frame I9 and one of the gibs 2|.

Although I have shown and particularly described the prefered embodiment of my invention I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction shown as various changes both in the form and relation of the parts thereof may readily be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the appending claims.

I claim:

1. In a metal bending machine having cooperative rollers for feeding and bending material including a master roller and a plurality of auxiliary rollers arranged about the master roller in spaced relation therewith, means including a chute for directing the infeeding material between the rollers, said chute being arranged in a plane spaced from the master roller a distance substantially equal to the thickness of the material to be bent and which extends at an angle of inclination to the direct line connecting the axes of rotation of the master roller and one of the auxiliary rollers and with the inner or discharge end of the chute positioned at the feed side of the plane passing through the axis of rotation of the master roller normal to the plane of inclination of the chute whereby the work will be engaged by the master roller intermediate the chute and said direct line connecting the axes of said rollers and be curved by the coaction of said rollers and chute as the work is drawn inwardly between said rollers, the inner or discharge end of the chute being spaced from the master roller a distance equal to at least twice the thickness of the material whereby the forward end portion of the material may extend between the master roller and the rear end portion of the material prior to the movement of the latter end of the material out of engagement with the chute.

2. A device as in claim 1 having means for adjusting the chute both vertically and horizontally to vary the position of the inner end of said chute relative to said rollers and said direct line connecting the axes of the rollers, and separate means for varying the angle of inclination of the chute relative to said direct line for work of different gauges and specifications.

3. In a metal bending machine, in combination, cooperative rollers for feeding and bending the metal including a master roller and a plurality of auxiliary rollers, means for directing the infeeding material between the rollers including a guide member so constructed and arranged at the feed side of the rollers that the material will be guided thereby in a plane extending at an acute angle of inclination to the direct line connecting the axes of rotation of the master roller and the adjacent one of the auxiliary rollers and in tangential relation with said master roller, the point of tangency being spaced an appreciable distance from said direct line connecting the axes of said rollers whereby the material will be engaged by the master roller intermediate the guide member and said direct line and be curved by the coaction of said rollers and said guide member as the material is drawn inwardly between said rollers, said guide member having the discharge end thereof spaced from the master roller a distance equal to at least twice the thickness of the material whereby the forward end of the material may overlap the rear end thereof when said latter end of said material is in engagement with the ide member.

WILLIAM E. KANE. 

